Recommendations made for child welfare services

Sandra Thompson

Friday, Aug. 18, 2000 | 9:45 a.m.

The Child Welfare League of America says low caseload ratios and a firm commitment to change are keys to an integrated child welfare system in Nevada.

CWLA, which sets standards nationwide for child welfare services, also noted the need for standardized foster care reimbursements, and local licensing and eligibility responsibilities.

The recommendations were contained in a CWLA report prepared for Clark and Washoe counties, the state Division of Child and Family Services and the legislative subcommittee charged with designing a new model child welfare system.

CWLA, retained to provide technical assistance, had conducted a two-month preliminary analysis of the proposed model.

Next it will analyze Nevada's child welfare systems' efficiencies and outcomes, and their levels of compliance with the Adoption and Safe Families Act.

CWLA's report notes that the "complexity of child welfare systems combined with agency cultures and community expectations makes ... the integration effort a particularly challenging one."

It also points out that if Clark and Washoe counties are to assume the responsibilities of child welfare services from the state, "they need to consider requiring a firm commitment from the Nevada Legislature that this direction is real, and a priority for Nevada legislators."

A subcommittee chaired by Assembylwoman Barbara Buckley, D-Las Vegas, has been conducting hearings for the past year on a new model system that would transfer child welfare responsibilities from the state to Clark and Washoe counties. The state would have regulatory oversight, as well as provide services in the rural counties.

Last Wednesday's hearing was to have been the subcommittee's last meeting since it earlier had recommended approval of a proposed model. However, because of cost and personnel concerns, it asked Clark and Washoe to further define their roles and report back to the committee in November.

There was a lengthy discussion among subcommittee members on whether they should proceed with a new, enhanced child welfare system, or expand pilot projects and phase in changes. The majority believed that the time to act is this legislative session, but agreed that many questions remain unanswered.

One of the major issues is cost. The proposed child welfare model for Clark County, for example, not only includes the additional cost of transferring in state workers, but provides for adequate staffing levels to reduce caseloads.

CWLA recommends caseloads of 12-15 children per worker. "This should allow time to provide reunification services, including visitation, permanency planning and support to foster parents," the CWLA report states.

CWLA also recommends that Clark and Washoe take over licensing and eligibility functions, since they would be managing cases. Under the proposed model, the state had licensing and oversight responsibilities.

Noting great disparities in foster care reimbursements in Nevada, CWLA recommends standardized rates.

In 1999 the federal government estimated the costs of raising a child as $752 a month for a 2-year-old; $768 for a 9-year-old; and $844 for a 16-year-old.

Nevada's monthly reimbursement rates for foster children are significantly lower: $402.50 for age 0-12 and $494.25 for age 13 and older.

Clark County reimburses shelter care at $29 per day ($870 a month); Washoe County pays $44 a day ($1,320 a month) for foster care, based on the market rate for child-care services.

A recent study by Thom Reilly, a UNLV professor of social work, showed that 62 percent of families who adopted special-needs children say the money is not enough. The majority also cited the need for health benefits, other financial subsidies, dental care and routine medical care.

Despite the financial concerns, Reilly said, the families surveyed had a higher satisfaction rate with their experiences than those in most states.

That's heartening news to Steve Shaw, administrator of the state Division of Child and Family Services, which handles foster care and adoption services. He said Reilly's study, requested by DCFS to evaluate and improve its services, also showed families had a high satisfaction rate in dealing with DCFS social workers.

Although many professionals play a critical role in adoption proceedings, Shaw said, the credit primarily goes to the social workers, who have one of the most difficult jobs -- dealing with abused and neglected children.

Child welfare workers, Shaw said, are caught between two opposing societal views: the need to protect children and the need to respect the privacy of the family.

Shaw, family and youth service providers in Clark and Washoe counties, and members of Buckley's subcommittee all agree that Nevada can't wait for the debate to be settled before it designs a model child welfare system that meets the needs of children.

"If we do it correctly, no one should notice (the changes)," said Adrienne Cox, assistant director of Clark County Youth and Family Services. "It will be easier on families, the courts, etc. It should be seamless."